Diabolical Plan
by Evil Cosmic Triplets
Summary: Jerry Jax has a plan to bring Port Charles to its knees and bring about the downfall of Jason Morgan as well. How does Spinelli fit into his plans? Drabble series featuring Jerry Jax, Spinelli, and Jason
1. The Plan

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

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"And it has the same symptoms as the swine flu?" Jerry questioned in clipped tones, cell phone clutched tightly to his ear. "Excellent." His lips curled in an evil grin as he closed his phone.

_Port Charles won't know what hit them. _He smiled to himself as he walked down the street. The shipment wouldn't arrive for another week yet. Until then, he had plenty of time to procure his initial victim; from there the deadly virus would spread throughout lovely Port Charles, felling even the indefatigable Jason Morgan.

"Mr. Spinelli," Jerry greeted as the young man rounded the corner.

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	2. The Set Up

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

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"What is it the Unhinged One wishes to discuss in the darkened streets of Port Charles on the cusp of the twilight hour?" Spinelli surreptitiously searched the area surrounding the two of them, noting that, other than a stray dog sitting near a park bench, they were completely alone.

"Funny you should ask," Jerry spoke conspirationally, draping an arm around Spinelli's shoulders, ignoring how the younger man tensed. He merely grasped the hacker's shoulder firmer when he attempted to shrug him off.

"I am in need of your unique services." Jerry directed Spinelli over to sit on a nearby bench.

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	3. Master Plotter

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

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"The Jackal, in spite of major misgivings guiding him to the contrary, will do as the Master Plotter wishes." Spinelli's face was contorted in a rare display of anger as he stood from the park bench.

"I trust that you know to keep this between the two of us?" Jerry's hand was once again on Spinelli's shoulder and the hacker halted.

Nodding, Spinelli shook Jerry's hold and walked briskly away.

"Remember, come alone," Jerry called after him. Whistling to himself, Jerry strolled to his car, marveling at how easy it had been to manipulate Spinelli once he'd mentioned Jason Morgan.

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	4. Shark Bait

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

There is a jump in time.

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"Here," Spinelli's eyes searched the dark corners of the alley, and, when satisfied that they were alone, he reached into his bag and pulled out a computer disk, handing it to Jerry.

"Very impressive Mr. Jackal," Jerry's wide smile reminded the hacker of a toothy shark. He draped an arm around the nervous boy's shoulder, solicitously, as though they were comrades out for a stroll.

Uncomfortable, Spinelli attempted to step away from Jerry, but the man had an iron-clad grip on him. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and felt something sharp prick his neck. Dizzy, he fell.

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	5. Missing

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

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Jason paced the length of the couch in the living room. Spinelli had left earlier that day and had not returned to the apartment. Ordinarily, he wouldn't be overly worried, but he'd just gotten off the phone with Maxie who'd asked him if he knew where Spinelli was and why he wasn't answering any of her calls.

He'd been curt with her, not intimating that he was concerned for his roommate, but as soon as he hung up with Maxie, he'd made his own call to Spinelli. It didn't even go to voicemail, just hung up after the third ring.

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	6. Lost

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

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Jason's blood ran cold when he attempted his third call and this time, it was answered, but instead of Spinelli's voice, it was Molly's that tentatively greeted him.

"Molly, where'd you find this phone?" His question came out far sharper than he'd intended.

"Morgan and I found it on the docks," she answered hesitantly.

Though Jason's worry for his roommate escalated, he was concerned for Morgan and Molly as well. He rubbed his forehead as though that could ease his steadily growing headache.

"What are you two doing out so late?"

"We're with Mom," she sounded like a mini Alexis.

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	7. Without a Trace

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Reposted from gh_unwrapped for Challenge #6: H1N1

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"Jason, I know you're worried about Spinelli, but we've already told you all that we know," Alexis was getting impatient and a little concerned. She wanted to get Morgan back to Carly's and Molly home. Jason's questions and the mounting fear she sensed in the terseness of his voice had unnerved her.

She was even now speaking to him over Spinelli's phone. And though she had argued that perhaps it had simply slipped from the boy earlier that day, he had informed her that Spinelli had not returned home and that he was not at any of his usual haunts.

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	8. Beyond Worried

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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"Okay Jason, I'll see what I can do," Sam didn't spare a glance for Jason as her fingers flew over the keys of Spinelli's laptop which he had found a short distance from where Molly had discovered Spinelli's abandoned cell phone.

If he was completely honest with himself, he'd admit that his heart rate had skyrocketed the minute he'd found his roommate's haphazardly discarded laptop and that he was beyond worried about the hacker. But, he wasn't allowed the luxury of giving in to such feelings; he had to be Stone Cold for Spinelli's sake.

"Oh my god," Sam gasped.

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	9. What If?

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

**Warning**: Mild swearing

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"Why the hell would he do something so stupid?" Jason's voice was raised even though the object of his anger was not in the room. He slammed his fist into the nearest wall and Sam cringed where she sat on the couch, watching Jason.

"Jason, we're going to get him back," Sam promised, rising to place a placating hand on the man's back. He shook her off and glared at her.

"What if he's done something to him?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"We'll find him before anything happens," Sam's voice held much more conviction than she felt.

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	10. Paralyzed

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Spinelli struggled to open his eyes, but it felt as though something furry and heavy was sitting directly on top of them. As he slowly began to wake, he became aware of a nauseating, low-grade buzzing sound.

His body felt strangely weighted and he began to panic when he discovered that he was unable to move. Forcing himself to continue breathing through the dizzying dread that flooded him, he focused on the simple act of moving just his pinky finger. Nothing happened. He tried again, but it was as though he were completely paralyzed.

_Help! _His frightened mind screamed. _Please._

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	11. Going Mad

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Jerry watched as his captive started stirring. Wondering how long it would take the young man to come to his senses, to fight off the effects of the strong narcotic he'd been administered the night before. Usually, it took the paralysis an hour to wear off completely, leaving the sightless, sense-deprived victim terrified.

Often, it left the narcotized individual so traumatized that he would, in effect, have a sort of mental breakdown. When he'd been injected with the drug, he'd thought he'd go stark raving mad.

Jerry wondered if the Jackal's mind would remain intact through the painstakingly slow process.

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	12. Puzzling

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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He sat in an armchair by the single bed occupying the dimly lit room. Absentmindedly, he fingered the vial containing the virus he had fully intended to inject into the prone form lying on the bed.

Not overly given to fits of remorse, he vaguely wondered at his hesitation. What was it about the young man that had a stone cold killer like Jason Morgan so easily wrapped around his little finger?

He peered closely at the boy's face, taut, now, in fears conjured up solely by his sensory deprived mind, looking for something, anything that would help him understand.

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	13. Molasses

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Spinelli felt as though he were drowning in a vat of molasses in the middle of a black hole. He'd read about black holes once upon a time, back when he was alive.

If this nothingness wasn't death, he didn't know what it was. He'd reconciled himself to it.

Grew to accept that for the remainder of eternity, however long that was, he'd remain floating indefinitely in emptiness.

After he'd gotten over the initial panic, the fear over being unable to move, he'd begun to accept that this was now his lot. He was lost forever in cold, black space.

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	14. Butterflies

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Jerry touched Spinelli's cheek with an index finger, giving him a small measure of sensory input, knowing that the touch, though it was only a gentle graze, would send they boy's senses into overdrive and hopefully bring him out of the drug-induced paralysis sooner.

Spinelli's cheek twitched beneath his finger. "That's it my little butterfly," Jerry coaxed, "break out of your cocoon, your metamorphosis is almost complete. "

He watched as Spinelli struggled to open his eyes, debating whether or not to plunge the needle containing the virus into his neck as he emerged. It all depended upon Spinelli's awakening.

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	15. Face of the Unknown

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Jerry Jax was holding someone he loved captive. He'd received a call from the dangerous man indicating that, for the time being, the young man was safe and would remain unharmed if he met him at a cabin deep within the woods, alone and unarmed.

Jason was growing frantic and he didn't get frantic. It wasn't in his nature. He was known to Spinelli as 'Stone Cold" Jason Morgan because he always kept his cool in the face of danger, no matter what. And here he was, when his grasshopper needed him most, quailing in the face of the unknown.

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	16. Risk

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Jason circled the perimeter five hundred feet from the cabin, looking for any _surprises_ Jerry may have left for him. He had followed the man's instructions almost precisely, had come alone and on foot, but one thing he was unwilling to compromise on was the weapon tucked securely in the waistband of his jeans.

He doubted that Jerry would be expecting anything less from him and hoped that Spinelli's life would not be forfeit as a result. It was a risk he had to take, not knowing whether or not Jerry was simply planning to kill them both anyway.

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	17. Human Contact

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Spinelli attempted to move toward the light stroke he felt against his cheek. He'd know that sensation anywhere, it was human contact and he thrilled to the touch. He'd been without it for what felt like eons and meager seconds. Time was hard to quantify when one was swimming in a miasma of nonexistence.

Once more he made an effort to force his leaden eyes open, hoping that this whole otherworldly experience had been nothing more than a surreal dream and that when his eyes opened, he'd find that it had been Stone Cold's hand pressed against his fevered cheek.

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	18. Slow Awakening

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Spinelli's eyes fluttered open and he blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the dim light he was unaccustomed to. His forehead furrowed in confusion, he didn't recognize the room, well the ceiling of the room, which was all he could see as his head did not seem to want to cooperate with his desire to look around.

He experimentally tested out his limbs, to see if they remained paralyzed. He let out a suppressed sigh when his fingers twitched in response to his brain's command. Next he wiggled a toe. His body was responding slowly, but surely.

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	19. Sleeping Beauty

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Jerry was awakened abruptly from a sound sleep, and was momentarily at a loss as to why his neck had a crick in it and why he was sprawled out in an armchair rather than in a nice, comfortable bed.

Faint whimpers broke him out of his sleep-deprived stupor and he peered into the near darkness, making out the shape of a horizontal form lying on the bed next to him.

Leaning forward so that his elbows rested on the mattress, he carefully assessed the waking boy. Spinelli's cheeks were flushed, eyes unfocused.

"Up so soon Sleeping Beauty?" He murmured.

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	20. Speechless

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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Spinelli's breath caught in his throat and he cursed his sluggish limbs as they refused to cooperate with his mind's frenetic demands to get as far away from the man whose face was bare inches from his own. He could feel the unscrupulous man's fetid breath caressing the side of his face.

His heart pounded at a furious rate as his extremities continued their traitorous inaction, rendering him useless and leaving him to the not so tender mercies of his captor.

Swallowing the fear that rose like bile in his throat, Spinelli opened his mouth, but no sound came forth.

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	21. Maniacs and Needles

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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"I see you're speechless," Jerry tapped Spinelli's parted lips with an index finger, "that's a little out of the ordinary for you, isn't it?" There was a maniacal twinkle in the man's eyes which caused Spinelli's heart rate to increase.

"See this needle?" Jerry brought the object into Spinelli's view, knowing that the boy was still unable to move. Spinelli's eyes blinked in confusion as they adjusted to the needle bobbing into view.

"It contains a deadly virus, with H1N1-like symptoms," Jerry smiled crookedly; "I had planned to use it on you, but well, what would be the fun in that?"

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	22. Waiting for Night

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

Refers back to chapter 16 (sorry that it has been so long since Jason has been in the mix)

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Jason circled round the cabin once more, surprised that he had discovered only one tripwire which would send off a warning to the occupant of the cabin. He wondered how Spinelli was doing. Was the young man still alive?

Brushing these dark thoughts aside, he crouched in the shadows and waited for night to come. He wanted nothing more than to burst into the cabin right now and rid the world of Jerry Jax once and for all, but knew that waiting for the cover of night would give him the greater advantage. He just hoped Spinelli could last that long.

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	23. Patience

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

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It was getting cold, Jason's muscles ached due to lack of movement. He was known for his patience, but in this case, he didn't know if he could last until darkness fell. He'd planned his route to the lone cabin several dozen times already and could reasonably get there, without tripping the wire, with his eyes closed, if necessary, which was important.

Even with a partial moon and stars above, he would be in the dark as the cabin was entirely surrounded by trees. He hoped that the darkness would enable him to take Jerry by surprise. He was counting on it.

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	24. Vacillation

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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"Yes, I was planning on using this lethal injection on you," Jerry tapped his chin. Spinelli's eyes widened in horror as Jerry brought the needle closer into view so that it was just a few inches from his nose.

"But, I've been vacillating. I believe that Jason Morgan would be a much better specimen to test this on, but then again you are also a viable candidate; I had it tailored specifically to bring Port Charles to its knees and, of course, rid myself of my arch nemesis in the process. That's where you come in," he grinned and Spinelli slammed his eyes shut. A single tear slid down his cheek.

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	25. Newborn Lamb

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

Spinelli's thoughts.

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He'd known, of course, that he should never have trusted Jerry when the man had approached him a week ago and requested his assistance, but the man had threatened his mentor and he couldn't have that. He'd do anything in his power to protect Stone Cold and here he found that he had failed him yet again. Instead of keeping his master safe and secure, he would be leading him to his death due to his own folly.

He should have realized that the Unhinged One had something nefarious planned from the beginning, should never have allowed himself to be lured into his trap. Now, Jason would be paying the ultimate price and there was nothing he could do about it, but watch. He was as useless as a newborn lamb in this paralyzed state and, even if he weren't, there was little he could do to thwart the evil mastermind on his own.

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	26. Sinking Sun

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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Jason shivered as a light wind brushed across his skin, raising goose bumps along his exposed flesh. The sun was sinking in the sky, he had circled the cabin several more times and the sweat was now cooling on his skin.

He was anxious to move, but had discovered another, far trickier trip wire on his final trip around the cabin. This one was attached to the door, he hadn't ventured that far earlier, but had gotten bored of waiting. He wanted to act, was wound so tight he feared that he would implode if he didn't do something soon.

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	27. Intimacy

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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Spinelli stopped breathing as he felt Jerry's weight shift on the bed. The man ran a thumb along the trail that his tear had made on his cheek, drying it, making a tsking sound as he did so. It was a gentle, almost intimate touch and Spinelli's stomach roiled in response.

He gagged and took in a deep, undesired breath when he realized that his body was still not complying with his demands as he failed in his attempt to roll away from the unwanted touch.

"You are the perfect bait for the perfect trap. What does Morgan see in you?"

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	28. Boredom

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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Jerry was getting impatient and bored. He almost wished that he hadn't used the paralytic on the young man. He wanted to have someone to bandy with and had forgotten that even the vocal chords were left impotent with this particular drug.

_What the hell is taking Morgan so long?_ Maybe he had chosen the wrong person with which to bait his enemy. Maybe he should have gone with Sweet Sam as he had initially intuited.

He glanced at Spinelli's prone form with a cool, calculated eye and carefully placed the virus-filled needle on the nightstand within view of the helpless hacker. He'd have to rethink things.

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	29. By the Light of the Moon

_**Disclaimer**: _I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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_Almost time. _The moon was rising, though the light didn't quite reach the ground, he could see it above the treetops he hunkered beneath. _Almost time. Just a few more minutes. Hang in there Spinelli. Please. I'm coming for you. Just, hang in there buddy._

He glanced at the single window at the back of the cabin; a light broke through the darkness, giving Jason cause to smile. It was just enough to illuminate the darkness for him and yet not enough to blow his cover.

Moving stealthily from tree to tree, he cautiously made his way toward the cabin.

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	30. So Close and Yet So Far

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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"It's a pity, really," Jerry spoke softly. His fingers absentmindedly caressed the young man's hair as he spoke. Spinelli no longer fought to twist away from the unwelcome touch. He kept his eyes open and focused on Jerry.

His heart felt ready to burst from his chest. His attempts to steady it had proved fruitless and so he concentrated instead on controlling his breathing. He extended his senses and took note of how the inert muscles of his still frame felt from one moment to the next.

Stone Cold's only hope lie in his ability to beat Jerry to the needle lying so close and yet so far away.

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	31. Stillness

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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Jason approached the cabin door at a crouch and waited a heartbeat after he'd turned the knob, hoping that he hadn't alerted Jerry to his presence. If he wanted to get himself and Spinelli out of this alive, he knew that he would need every advantage he could get.

The door swung open silently and Jason sighed in relief. It was darker inside the cabin and he waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness before moving cautiously into the room. Holding his breath, he listened, filtering out the rough hammering of his heartbeat from the rest of the sounds endemic within the eerily still cabin.

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	32. Click

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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A soft, nearly inaudible _click_ sent Jason's heart racing. His eyes scanned the black interior of the cabin for the source of the unwelcome sound which had seemed so close, almost as though it were pressed tightly against his ear and yet there was no sign of what had made the noise.

Shaking off the hair raising fear that threatened to engulf him, he surged forward, moving from the relative safety of the doorway and into the cabin. His eyes scanned the inky darkness as he worked his way, gun wielded warily before him, toward the center of the room.

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	33. Ghosts

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction for which I am not getting paid, but have been enjoying writing.

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Jason took a moment to survey the room he'd entered as he made his way forward at a half crouch. He kept his back toward the wall as he swept the room with a discerning gaze. Sheets, white, glowed in the moonlight that filtered through the grimy windows which flanked a massive lump pushed flush against the far wall. _Couch_, Jason mentally named the sheet covered object. He could make out similarly garbed shapes in the faintly moonlit darkness as his eyes quickly adjusted. _Armchair, table, lamp, grandfather clock…_

His eyes searched the room for the telltale shape of a fellow human, not putting it past Jerry to hide amidst the sheeted objects in the ghostly room.

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	34. Powerful Elixir

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters in this story. This is a work of fiction in which I am making no monetary gain.

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"Sh…" Jerry placed a finger to his lips in a cautioning gesture before he realized that Spinelli was still unable to speak. He smiled crookedly at the still man whose eyes traced his every move. Someone else was in the cabin and, from the little noise that was being made, Jerry felt certain that the intruder was Jason.

A trill of excitement was ignited in his gut as the inevitability of what was about to happen stole through him. His plan had worked, Jason was here. He never felt more alive than when his life was on the line and danger, a powerful elixir, electrified the stagnant air of the cabin, delighting him.

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	35. Adjustment

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

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Jason's dark-adjusted eyes took in the room as a whole and, determining that neither Jerry nor Spinelli was in what appeared to be the living room, he worked his way carefully along the wall toward a much darker hallway.

None of the moon's light reached its waning tendrils into the depths of the small, compact hallway and Jason cursed silently as he was forced to stop once more while his eyes made the necessary adjustment. It would be foolish to continue forward blinded by the lack of illumination which accompanied the darkness. The entire cabin was bathed in its overly oppressive embrace.

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	36. Boy Wonder

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

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"The real question you've got to be asking yourself right now is: Will Boy Wonder be able to navigate his way safely through the cabin to this room?" Jerry winked at Spinelli as he picked the needle up once again and brushed the boy's fringe back from his sweaty brow with a tenderness that did not match the murderous gleam in his eyes.

"In case he does manage to bypass the little _surprises_ I've put in place, I believe it is time to educate you, young Master Spinelli, of the clever little virus contained within this otherwise innocuous needle. It wouldn't be sporting of me to leave you without a clue as to what to expect over the next, possibly last, seventy-two hours of your life, now would it?"

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	37. Blisters

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

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Spinelli's heart raced and his eyes, the only thing he could fully move of his own volition, widened in fear as he listened to Jerry explain what the tailored virus would do to his body over the next three days and how he would become contagious within the next twenty-four hours, once he'd been infected. How he would first infect Jason who would no doubt not leave his side and Maxie and Sam and on and on the list went until all of Port Charles would be brought to its knees, allowing Jerry to run his greatest scam ever.

He wanted to scream and rail at the maddeningly calm menace to society who droned on about how his organs would shut down one-by-one and how open, bleeding lesions would form on his skin alongside painful blisters.


	38. Too Long

**Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

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Jason's heart pounded loudly in his chest. He was taking much too long to get to Spinelli. Jerry was not a man known for his compassion, and though he displayed painstaking patience when executing his most underhanded plans, there was a time when that patience wore out and Jason was willing to bet that that time was nigh.

A part of him wanted to shout out to the other man, let him know that he'd come early, even though it would mean tipping his hand and giving away his position. He'd rather have the man's attention diverted to him, away from Spinelli. Maybe it was worth losing the advantage he'd hoped to gain.

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	39. The First Door

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction. Enjoy and please review.

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Jason inched along the wooden floorboards. Every groaning creak reverberated through him like a gunshot and he cringed inwardly as he was forced to pause and listen every few feet to make sure he hadn't tipped Jerry off to his presence.

Cursing his slow progress, Jason took a deep breath and held it as he came to a closed door. He positioned himself so that he lay prone with his ear pressed tight to where the door and floor met. There was a small space, not enough for him to look beneath. No light issued forth and only silence met his inquisitive ear.

He stealthily levered himself onto his knees and twisted the door handle, biting his bottom lip until it drew blood at the low groan the door made as it swung swiftly inward.


	40. Jugular

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction. Enjoy and please review.

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Jerry's lips lightly brushed against Spinelli's ear as the man pushed air out of the needle and drew in the clear liquid from the vial he'd finished taunting the younger, stationary man with.

Spinelli's heart hammered erratically in his chest. He could see the now filled needle out of the corner of his eye and Jerry's blue, humorless eyes met his. The man smirked wickedly and licked his lips.

"I don't know about you, but the golden boy is taking much too long for me," the breathy words echoed in the hollow of Spinelli's ear. Jerry positioned his camera phone so that he could record the event. He didn't want Jason to miss out on his roommate's misery.

Jerry smoothed back Spinelli's dark hair and whispered, "You're going to feel a little…prick," as he plunged the needle into Spinelli's neck and released the deadly virus into his jugular.


	41. Pain

**Disclaimer: **Do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

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The clear, viscous liquid smoldered and burned its way through him and Spinelli, his limbs ineffectually immobile, squirmed inwardly as the virus slowly clawed its way through his veins.

Jerry watched in gaping awe as the pain his victim was unable to express verbally etched itself across the younger man's face in twitches and through his body in jerking spasms. A soft moan escaped past his chapped lips and his eyes screwed shut tightly. Tears, wrought by the intensity of the pain, leaked from his closed eyes and his breath came out in jagged gasps.

The pain was clearly unbearable and Jerry grinned as he realized that the virus truly had been manufactured according to his specifications. He frowned at the realization that Jason was not here to witness his loyal grasshopper's agony and pulled out his cell phone once again to remedy that. Filming some of the best moments for Spinelli's mentor to bear witness to, he quickly sent the short video to Jason's phone, chuckling to himself at his brilliance.

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	42. HalfMoons

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

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Sam paced the road at the edge of the forest. She had gone with Jason to retrieve Spinelli. He'd told her to wait for them, that he'd be back with Spinelli and he might need her to drive the SUV. She'd agreed to wait, but now, as darkness descended she'd lost some of her resolve. Her body was thrumming with a need to be where the action was.

Turning on her heel, she sent gravel flying as she kicked aimlessly at it. Her hands clenched until her fingernails dug white half-moon shapes into her palms. Growling out of frustration, she started along the path into the woods when a buzzing vibration claimed her attention and she stopped to retrieve the cell phone Jason had urged her to keep in spite of her insistence that it might come in handy if he ran into any trouble with Jerry.

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	43. Fury

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Appropriate swearing

* * *

Curious as to who could be calling Jason, hoping that maybe it was Spinelli and that he was okay, she halted in her tracks and pulled the vibrating phone out. The display read, "Unknown Caller ID," and a sense of foreboding stole over her.

With a shaking hand, she flipped the phone open and depressed the 'receive' button. Raising it hesitantly to her ear she listened. "Hello?" Her voice was soft, supplicant. Instead of a greeting, guttural sounds, which sent shivers down her spine, met her.

Pulling the phone away from her ear, she eyed it with alarm and saw with mounting horror that it was not a phone call, but a video of Spinelli that had been sent to Jason. The young man was lying on a rustic looking bed. His face was scrunched up in pain and his body was rent with seizure-like tremors accompanied by pitiful whimpers. Snarling in fury, Sam slammed the phone shut and, clenching her teeth, stalked down the path Jason had forbidden her to follow him on. Jerry had chosen the wrong person to fuck with this time around.

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	44. Disappointment

**Disclaimer:** The characters do not belong to me. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

Disappointment seared through Jason's veins as his eyes searched the dark room and revealed that it was completely empty, save for an antique roll top desk nestled in one corner. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in, he ran a shaky hand through his hair and slammed his fist into the wall.

The dull pain sobered him and he cursed himself for losing control. There was no way Jerry would not have been alerted to his presence now. Closing his eyes, he clenched his fists, ignoring the sting which blossomed on his bruised, bloodied knuckles.

Prior to entering this room, he'd spied two more doors along either side of the hallway; he mentally planned the rest of his assault on the cabin. No more taking things slowly, it was time to take Jerry out and rescue Spinelli.

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	45. Ride it Out

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

"There, there," Jerry soothed, gently running his fingers through Spinelli's unkempt hair, "the pain will subside. Just ride it out," he smiled when Spinelli's green eyes, bright with the flames of his internal struggle as the virus razed itself through him, snapped open seeking comfort.

Eyes wild, unseeing in their desperate search for a vestige of help, a stopper for the pain, rested frantically on the one who'd caused his current state of misery. Pleading, they pulled at Jerry's callous heart and before the remorseless man knew what he was doing, he'd pressed his lips to the boy's feverish forehead offering a modicum of comfort.

Startled at his reaction to Spinelli's beseeching eyes, he pulled away abruptly and stood, shaking himself as though waking from a long sleep. He rubbed the back of his hand roughly over his lips, removing all traces of the intimate contact he'd made with the younger man and stared in self-revulsion at the boy whose tortured green eyes were still drawing him with invisible cords he could not seem to break. _Was this the hold the young man had over the stone cold Jason Morgan?_

* * *

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	46. Two Doors Down

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

A noise from two doors down startled Jerry from his tormented musings and he blinked to clear his mind of the frantic thoughts which had assailed it. Trying in vain to master his insane desire to grasp the boy, who suffered in silent agony, to himself and alleviate the very aches and pains he'd foisted upon him, he frenetically scolded himself for giving into a moment of unguarded sentimentality.

His brother, Jasper's face, bearing an accusatory, disappointed glower, popped into his mind and he mentally cursed himself as a much younger, more innocent-looking version of his brother was pulled up from memory. His eyes, seemingly of their own accord were drawn to Spinelli's face, pinched in pain, and he saw his baby brother there in Spinelli's stead. His heart stopped briefly before resuming its necessary beating.

Scrabbling for the square sheet of paper he'd brought with him, he drew a pen out of his pocket with a shaky hand and hastily wrote on it. Crumpling the paper, he tossed it into a corner and taking one last, longing, apologetic look at Spinelli, he hauled himself up and out through the lone window in the room, exiting it.


	47. This is It

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. A work of fiction. Good, bad, in between? zen zen wakarimasen

* * *

No longer worried about making too much noise, Jason strode to the door on the opposite side of the hallway and kicked it open. He trained his gun before him, his eyes examining the room with expert precision before discerning that he was alone in it. He exited the room and approached the final room with caution.

This was it; he could sense it in every fiber of his being. He wiped a sweaty palm along his jeans and steeled his nerves. Cocking his gun, readying it for action, he twisted the knob and let it swing inward with a resounding squeal which grated on his ears.


	48. Looming Shadows

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. Work of fiction.

* * *

Sam sprinted along the path through the woods toward the cabin that she knew held Spinelli captive. Her heart pounded rhythmically within her chest, matching each staggered footfall. Worried that she wouldn't be there in time, she sped up, her arms pumping as adrenaline rushed through her system boosting her speed, clearing her vision.

As she ran, she ignored the looming shadows surrounding her. She was so intent on making it to the cabin in time to aid Jason in liberating Spinelli from Jerry's malevolent grasp, that she dismissed the lone figure weaving in and out of the shadows as nothing more than a wild animal, blissfully unaware that she'd let the only man who could bring peace to Spinelli make good his escape.


	49. Bereft

**Disclaimer: **The characters aren't mine. Work of fiction.

* * *

Spinelli, willing himself to master his panic and the pain which blistered and burned as it ate its way through him, was only dimly aware that he had been abandoned by his malicious subjugator. A despair, unlike any he had hitherto experienced, settled on him as his body remained stubbornly motionless aside from the excruciating contractions that rippled through him, independent of whatever muscle inhibiting drug Jerry had dosed him with prior to the introduction of the virus into his system.

He was now horribly and utterly alone in his current state of inner anguish. His only compatriot, the self-same one who had inflicted him, had deserted him and he felt strangely bereft.


	50. Checkmate

**Disclaimer: **The characters are not my original concept. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

Jason's eyes lit upon a single crumpled sheet of white paper tucked away in a far corner of the cabin. Had he not been intent upon scouring the dully lit room for any sign of his arch nemesis, he would never have noticed it.

Unaware of the boy lying helpless on the bed, he walked over to the corner and, crouching, snatched the paper from where it had been haphazardly discarded. Curious, he smoothed the crinkled paper out and, rising, held it up to the open window. A single word, written in clear, precise script was illumined by the light of the waning moon: Checkmate. _What the hell did that mean? _


	51. Found

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is fiction. ;)

* * *

Growling out a low curse, Jason crushed the paper in his hand and turned around slowly. He'd missed Jerry by mere seconds and still had not found Spinelli.

The sound of painful wheezing reached his ears and he ceased to breathe as his eyes fell upon the still figure writhing on the single bed in the far corner of the room.

_Spinelli! _The name stuck in his throat. His tongue was suddenly thick and uncooperative as he took in the pale, sickly appearance of his roommate.

He raced to his friend's side and, pocketing his gun, ran a trembling hand over Spinelli's body, examining him for wounds which might not be visibly evident. He exhaled a relieved sigh as nothing was uncovered and yet, he was alarmed at Spinelli's lack of reaction both physical and auditory. He should have said something by now, called attention to himself, but he remained stoically silent.

Jason's eyes scrutinized Spinelli's face and he noted with increasing concern that though Spinelli's mouth was opening and closing, nothing but low strangled sobs were forthcoming.


	52. Silence

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction

* * *

It was time to leave. Jason didn't know what Jerry had done to the Spinelli, or why he was so silent, but he was going to find out and make sure that the kid never left his sight again; he'd keep him safe, no matter what.

And he'd get to the bottom of why his roommate, no, he wouldn't think of the boy whose eyes were silently imploring him for help, as a mere roommate, couldn't move. His heart tightened in his chest as the thought that Spinelli was so much more to him than a roommate or a friend, assailed him with a felling force.


	53. I've Got You

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

"Spinelli," his voice was raw and hoarse with emotion as he looked down at the young man he'd come to realize was his true brother, "it's okay, I've got you now."

Ignoring Spinelli's stormy, glazed eyes which seemed to be begging him to leave, he shook his head tersely and scooped him off the bed. One arm below Spinelli's knees and the other across his back, he cradled him close to his chest and pressed his lips to the top of his head as an overwhelming need to offer him some form of physical comfort overcame him.

"I've got you now," he promised as he carried the now quietly weeping boy out of the room. _And I won't let you go, _remained unspoken.


	54. Alive

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

Sam halted on the porch of the cabin. It was jarringly quiet and she scanned the darkness with acute eyes. Muscles taut with the rush of adrenaline which still coursed through her body; she jumped when a discordant sound issuing from within the cabin assaulted her ears.

Incautiously, she rushed into the cabin, nerves tingling, ready for action and nearly collided with a Spinelli-laden Jason. Intense relief engulfed her and, oblivious to Jason's stern glare, she reached out a tremulous hand and stroked Spinelli's wet cheek, reassuring herself that the boy in the image she'd seen in Jerry's text was indeed safe and alive. A hitched sob caught in her throat. Her tear-filled eyes met Jason's and they exchanged a look of mutual relief comingled with worry.

"You've got him," Sam couldn't keep her voice from quivering with her pent up emotions.


	55. Safety

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

"We've got to get him to the hospital," Jason's brusque words broke through Sam's momentary inaction and she turned around, leading the way out of the cabin.

"Why didn't you stay with the SUV?" Jason's harsh words cut through the still night air like a knife and Sam whirled on him.

She wasn't going to allow him to make her feel guilty, but the sight of Spinelli so uncharacteristically inanimate and quiet stilled the ready retort on her lips and she resumed a quickened pace to the awaiting vehicle. Spinelli needed help right away, she could counter Jason's accusations later.

"I'll show you once we get Spinelli to safety," she answered in a clipped tone. There was no time to waste on petty arguments and she hoped that Jason would not question her further until they were well on their way to General Hospital.


	56. Not Letting Go

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction

* * *

Jason couldn't seem to loosen his grip on Spinelli when they reached the SUV. He wanted to drive to the hospital, to have that guise of control and yet, he didn't want to relinquish his hold on Spinelli.

Sam, seeing Jason's dilemma, reached her hand out for the keys and took them, wordlessly from Jason's hand. She clicked the doors open and swung herself into the driver's seat, starting the ignition as Jason situated himself, Spinelli draped over his lap, in the spacious backseat.

"Hang in there Spinelli," he choked hoarsely. His eyes glistened in the overhead light within the cab of the SUV as he watched Spinelli gasp for breath.

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	57. Out of Control

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction.

* * *

There was a thin sheen of sweat on Spinelli's forehead, Jason mopped at it with the sleeve of his jacket, careful to make sure he didn't inadvertently scratch his eye. It was inadequate care at best and Jason inwardly cursed Jerry, vowing to exact revenge on the demented man.

He was troubled as Spinelli's mouth kept opening and closing as though he were trying to speak and yet no sound came forth other than an occasional whimper or moan, each of which tore at his heart and set his belly afire with anxiety over the welfare of his best friend.

"Shh Spinelli," Jason admonished, his mouth twisting into the facsimile of a smile as he attempted to comfort the young man.

He knew that he needed to remain calm, in spite of the mounting fear he felt for Spinelli. If he pretended that all was well, maybe Spinelli would relax instead of struggling against whatever it was that Jerry had done to him. Maybe then, everything would stop spinning out of his control.

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	58. Faster

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction.

Thanks for reviewing Kristi and mobgirl

* * *

Jason was largely unaware of the passing of time as he held Spinelli, wishing fervently that Sam would drive faster. He didn't know what the hell Jerry had done to Spinelli, but knew that he needed to get him to General Hospital as soon as possible.

For all of his dislike of hospitals, he knew that General Hospital had some of the best doctors on staff and trusted that they, if anyone, would know how to help Spinelli. If they couldn't help Spinelli…he refused to let his thoughts go there… instead, he pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial, sighing gratefully when Robin's sleep-filled voice answered.

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	59. Cobwebs

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the characters; this is a work of fiction.

* * *

Robin raced to the hospital, dragging a groggy Patrick along with her. They'd been able to snag Mac as a babysitter and dropped Emma off at his house along the way to the hospital.

Jason's call had woken her out of a sound sleep and at first she'd had a hard time processing his words, but the unmasked desperation in his voice helped to clear the cobwebs from her mind. Jason needed her help, there was something wrong with Spinelli, Jerry Jax figured somewhere in it all and she knew that when that monster was involved, things were bound to turn from bad to worse in no time at all.

She only hoped that when Spinelli was brought in, it wouldn't already be too late for the hacker who held a special place in Jason's heart and in her own as well. He genuinely cared for others, even if he was a bit on the quirky side.


	60. Scream

**Disclaimer: **The characters are not mine, I do not make money from writing this; it is a work of fiction.

* * *

Robin ran a tired hand through her hair. It had been two hours since Spinelli had been admitted to the hospital and she still had no idea what was wrong with him. They'd ordered a toxicology report and were awaiting the results, but any attempt to engage Spinelli in conversation had proven to be fruitless. The only form of communication he seemed to be able to employ was through the use of his eyes.

If she had to watch as another tear rolled unchecked down his cheek, she was going to scream. His eyes spoke of nothing but pain and it broke her heart.


	61. Silent Vigil

**Disclaimer: **The characters are not mine. I make no money from this. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

Jason had refused to leave Spinelli's side when they'd finally arrived at General Hospital. He'd glared at the orderly until the man had backed away, allowing him to place the normally animated young man on a hospital bed himself.

Even now, he held one of Spinelli's hands loosely between both of his. Sam too had been reluctant to depart from the young man's side and so she was stationed in the private room Jason had insisted upon for Spinelli. She'd entwined her fingers between those of Spinelli's other hand.

Every now and again Sam and Jason would share a private look of horror mixed with grief as Spinelli did not appear to be getting any better and the battery of tests Robin and Patrick were running had revealed nothing.

The two remained still and silent, keeping a vigil over their mutual friend.


	62. News

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters.

* * *

"Uh Dr. Scorpio, can I see you in the corridor please?" Epiphany popped her head into the hospital room. She had some news and it wasn't good. Though she knew that Jason would find out eventually, she'd rather that he'd not hear it from her lips. He'd take the news much better from someone he knew and trusted better than herself.

"Whatever you have to say can be said in here," Jason's voice, though low and controlled still rang in the quiet which had descended upon the room.

"With all due respect Mr. Morgan," Epiphany countered, not unkindly, looking pointedly at Spinelli who could not see the exchange, "I believe it would be best if I spoke with Dr. Scorpio alone."

Jason paled slightly and nodded.


	63. Pancuronium Bromide

**Disclaimer: **Characters aren't mine. This is a work of fiction.

If you would like more information on pancuronium bromide, check out: http: // www. washingtonpost. com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/2007 /04 /23 / AR2007042301671_ (of course, take out the spaces)

* * *

"How long until the pancuronium bromide wears off?" Robin questioned the steel-nerved nurse.

Epiphany drew in a sharp breath before responding, "The toxicologist was unsure. Could be for another hour or twenty-four. He wanted me to remind you that it was not an exact science and he was unable to determine how much of the drug had been delivered into Spinelli's system."

Robin's heart had clenched painfully in her chest at the mention of the drug which was one of the components used for lethal injections. It was the part of the cocktail which paralyzed the prisoner's muscles.

Unfortunately, it was also known to cause severe pain and left the person completely conscious yet unable to express themselves verbally or otherwise. Spinelli was in excruciating, mind-numbing pain, as though his body was on fire, and was trapped in his own body unable to escape it and there was nothing Robin could do to make it better for him, unless she could inject him with sodium thiopental which would render him unconscious. Not knowing what else was in his body, however, as the toxicology report also listed an unknown substance, along with a microbiological report of some unnamed virus, she was loathe to do that on the off chance that it could prove to be fatal.


	64. Blood and Tears

**Disclaimer: **Characters aren't mine, I make no money from this. This is a work of fiction.

* * *

Jason had no idea what was going on in Spinelli's mind, but every now and again a single tear would roll out from beneath his tightly clenched eye-lids. He didn't know if he was helping or hurting Spinelli by holding his hand and so he maintained a gentle grip on it, needing to communicate to the younger man that he was not alone as much as he needed to reassure himself that Spinelli was going to be okay.

It bothered him not knowing what Jerry had done and that he hadn't gotten to Spinelli sooner. If only he'd been there hours, maybe minutes or perhaps just seconds earlier Spinelli might not be suffering now.

A tear rolled down Spinelli's cheek and Jason brushed at it with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry Spinelli, please forgive me," he pleaded. "Just hang in there. We're at the hospital now. Robin and Patrick are on your case. You're going to be okay now. They'll fix you up, undo whatever it is that Jerry did."

Another tear fell, splashing onto the white sheet. Jason bit through his lower lip, relishing the coppery taste of blood.


	65. Living in Hades

**Disclaimer: **See initial chapter.

**A/N: **AU.

* * *

Spinelli wanted to slip into the sweet solace of sleep, but the drugs in his system would not allow him to escape their burning venom as they snaked and coursed their way through his veins. He couldn't shut his brain down, couldn't tune out the pain. Couldn't focus on anything other than the all-consuming, fiery pain that conspired to rip him asunder. Though he could hear someone speaking, he couldn't understand the soft susurration of voices. They were ghostlike, surreal. _Was he dead and in Hell?_

Hell, other than the mindless pain, was not as he'd pictured it. The light so bright that it burned his sightless eyes. And white, so encompassing that he felt swallowed up in it. Hell was supposed to smell of brimstone and sulfur, not stink of bleach and antiseptics. It was supposed to be dark, filled with smoke and curling flames which licked at the flesh of sin-filled souls as it always ate away at, yet never consumed their victims.

Spinelli knew that he was no saint by the Catholic Church's standards. He'd never willfully sinned, but had chosen a path which called him to follow his own ethical standards which did not necessarily mesh with those of Catholicism. The selling of illicit drugs had not helped, nor had his involvement with the nefarious Alcazar. But, he'd done a lot since those days to atone for the sins of his youth.

He wondered, as the unrelenting pain tore at his insides, if God had kept a tally of his wrongdoings. If He measured them up against his intentions. If it made any difference to an omnipotent, omniscient deity when a man did bad things for a good cause. Did the intention of the heart matter to such a being? Or was he measured merely by his actions, damn the reasons for them?

Spinelli forgot, for a moment, how to breathe. His lungs grappled with his overwrought brain for temporary control as his body struggled to keep him alive in spite of his desire to die and end the ceaseless torture Jerry had visited upon him.

The voices diminished to indistinguishable murmurs as he concentrated on the simple act of breathing. If he fixed his mind on that, he could almost dismiss the pain.


	66. The End, Finally

Disclaimer: See initial chapter.

The End

* * *

Epiphany, Robin, Patrick, and Matt worked hard to get Spinelli stable and to ease his pain. Jason sat vigil by his side. Sam did all she could to lend moral support, making sure that Jason ate and got a few hours of sleep. They were a team.

The excruciating pain finally left Spinelli almost forty-eight hours after the onset. The experts called in were able to fashion a counteragent for the poison in his system.

Four days after the ordeal began; Spinelli was on his way back to the penthouse with Jason and Sam. Jerry had skipped town. It was the end.


End file.
